Wenger's gunning for Rovers

The French coach finally takes charge of Arsenal for the first time after his protracted move from Japanese football.

Highbury, though, is already enjoying a Premiership renaissance following the departure of Bruce Rioch.

With five wins from their first eight Premiership games, Wenger inherits a third-placed team firing on all cylinders.

That fact is not lost on Rovers assistant Tony Parkes who warned: "Arsenal are on a high - even without Arsene Wenger taking over.

"They've some tremendous individual plyers like David Platt, Paul Merson and Ian Wright. But so have Blackburn and we all the know the importance of tomorrow's game. "The bottom line is that Blackburn Rovers are at the bottom of the Premiership. While the season is only young it won't be in another three or four games if we're still down there.

"The time has come to give everybody a lift with the right result against Arsenal."

He added: "The players are certainly ready for it. We feel we've played better than our points tally suggest. We need to kick-start our season tomorrow. It is arguably our most important match to date. We just need to get a win on the board."

Wenger, meanwhile, arrived for his first official day's work at Highbury to find striker Dennis Bergkamp, despite still being treated for a hamstring injury, had been called up to the Dutch squad for last weekend's World Cup qualifying match against Wales. The Dutch ace subsequently pulled out of the squad and remains a major injury doubt for the Gunners.

Although Bergkamp resumed light training earlier this week, he hasn't kicked a ball for three weeks.

Arsenal assistant boss Pat Rice, who was in charge for two weeks before Wenger's arrival, is doubtful the Dutch striker will play any part in the new manager's first match at Ewood Park.

"We have been determined not to rush him back too early for fear of quickly losing him again" said Rice. "It would be a surprise if he played against Blackburn."

Arsenal had to work hard on Bergkamp to get him ready for the start of the season after he damaged a knee playing for Holland in Euro 96. And they still believe the Dutch took a risk on him against Ireland in the European Championship qualifying play-off at Liverpool last December.

He played despite a calf injury which had kept him out of the Gunners' team for the two previous games. And after being substituted at half-time in Holland's vital 2-0 win over the Republic, he missed three more Arsenal matches.

New Arsenal boss Arsene Wenger is in charge for his first Premiership game but is expected to be without the services of Dennis Bergkamp, sidelined with a hamstring injury. The Frenchman has already decided he wants Bergkamp to play as a striker alongside Ian Wright and is ready to give the Dutchman's roving commission in midfield to Paul Merson.

Recalled England star Merson, fighting back to beat his drink and gambling addictions, has also been assured by Wenger his personal problems will be looked after just as sympathetically as by former boss Bruce Rioch, who allowed Merson to miss pre-season games when the player told him he was going through a difficult spell.

Wenger said: "The players must adapt to me, but I must also adapt to them. We must be tolerant of one another. I will talk to them all individually over the next week or so, but they should not be afraid to see me as I am cutting nobody."

He added: "Ian Wright is 32, Tony Adams 29 and David Seaman 33, but they are still the backbone of the Arsenal team and their ages do not worry me.

"Ian is not a normal 32 as he is so fit and strong and wants so much to succeed. I can see Tony is a great leader and with Seaman, the England goalkeeper, his age doesn't matter.

"Bergkamp, for me, is a striker who can score beautiful goals. I see Merson as a midfielder who has a strong physique, works hard for the team and has skill on the ball to run at the opposition."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.